A number of chlorine-containing halocarbons are considered to be detrimental toward the Earth's ozone layer. There is a world-wide effort to develop materials having lower ozone depletion potential that can serve as effective replacements. For example, the hydrofluorocarbon, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a) is being used as a replacement for dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12) in refrigeration systems. There is a need for manufacturing processes that provide fluorocarbons that contain less chlorine or no chlorine.
Numerous processes have been developed for changing the fluorine content of halogenated hydrocarbons. Various catalysts have been proposed for use in facilitating processes such as hydrofluorination. See, e.g., L. E. Manzer et al., Adv. Catal. (39) pp. 329-350 (1993). The catalysts proposed for use include catalysts involving one or more catalytic metals on a selected support. For example, a well known class of catalysts includes metals supported on alumina or fluorinated alumina. M. Bannert et al., Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 421, 135-142 (1976) report the use of lanthanum fluoride. U.S. Pat. No. 3,231,519 discloses halogen exchange catalyst consisting essentially of iron oxide, didymium oxide (which can contain La.sub.2 O.sub.3) and zirconium oxide. There is an interest in developing additional catalysts which can be effectively used for changing the fluorine content of halogenated hydrocarbons.